This invention relates to a chair with a folding back and to a hinge which can be used to pivotally mount the folding back on the chair seat for folding of the chair back onto the chair seat and for resilient spring movement of the chair back relative to the chair seat.
Chairs primarily for fishing boats often include a chair seat which is attached to a swivel mount by a base plate so that the occupant can swivel to different directions for travel from one fishing spot to another and for movement in fishing. The chairs generally also includes a seat back against which the occupant can rest during riding from one spot to another and during fishing. High speed travel across the water often includes some vertical vibrations which cause significant loads to be transferred from the occupant to the chair. In a situation where the occupant is leaning backwards, the weight from the occupant is heavily pressed against the back rest often damaging the structure.
In addition it is desirable in a fishing boat of this type to provide a chair back which can fold downwardly onto the seat so that the seat back of unused seats does not detract from or interfere with the vision of the occupants of the boat.
Hinges to date have little resilience so that all of the loading from the occupant due to leaning or vibration is applied to the hinge so that damage regularly occurs.
It is one object of the present invention therefore to provide a chair which allows folding of a seat back onto the seat base and also accommodates the forces from the occupant leaning backward onto the seatback.
According to one aspect of the invention there is provided a chair comprising:
a chair seat having a seat base plate for attachment to a support for holding the seat base plate generally horizontal;
a seat pad mounted on the base plate on which a person can sit;
a seat back having a back plate and a back pad against which a back of the person can rest;
and at least one hinge member connecting the back plate to the seat base plate, the hinge member comprising:
a spring strap fastened to the seat base plate and extending up behind the seat base plate to a top edge above the seat pad;
a hinge plate attached to the back plate and extending therefrom downwardly into contact with the spring strap;
a hinge pin defining a horizontal hinge axis;
the hinge plate and the spring strap being shaped to define a hinge around the hinge pin;
the hinge plate and the spring strap being shaped to allow the seat back to fold down into a folded position onto the seat pad and being shaped to prevent movement of the seat back rearwardly beyond a raised position such that forces from the person leaning backward on the seat back are communicated through the hinge into spring movement of the spring strap.
Preferably one of the strap and the hinge plate includes a rear tab extending along a rear of the other for communicating forces from the person leaning backward.
According to a second aspect the invention provides a hinge which can be used to attach the back to the seat of an existing chair, the hinge being as defined above.